War `is last resort' : Iraqi exiles

Iraqi exiles who wrote to the Prime Minister Tony Blair urging him to stand firm against Saddam Hussein said war should be a "last resort".

Ali Albayati, who said the letter was written on behalf of four million people forced to leave Iraq and the 350,000 exiles in the United Kingdom, pleaded with Mr Blair to "stick to" his resolve to liberate Iraq from a "dictatorial tyranny".

Today, a day after writing to Mr Blair, Mr Albayati urged the West to look at other ways to remove Saddam Hussein's "vile" regime.

Referring to the anti-war march held in London on Saturday, he said: "We are against war. We would like to see those who say no to war holding another banner saying remove the regime."

Mr Albayati, a married father of three, said it was "good" that Mr Blair had published the letter which was composed by 20 Iraqi exiles at a meeting in Manchester.

He added that the organisation was informal with groups of exiles with similar views based in many major British cities.

Mr Albayati, a 47-year-old property dealer in Manchester, said the group wrote the letter because they felt no-one was interested in the views of the Iraqi people.

He said Saddam was "very dangerous" and added that the international community had an "obligation to help the Iraqi people".

Another author of the letter, Professor Nadir Ahmad, said a military invasion by the West should be regarded as a "last resort".

The Manchester-based scientist, said: "There are so many other things that can be done to avoid war.

"Saddam Hussein's human rights record is so bad he could be taken to the International Criminal Court in The Hague."